As one of the world's best-known airlines, Emirates needs to provide a high standard of service to stay on top.
With a fleet of 220 aircraft currently in active service, the airline needs 16,000 highly trained cabin crew to keep things running smoothly.
However, this elite team of emergency-sliding, fire-extinguishing medical responders do not just turn up to the recruitment drive with these skills. It takes weeks of training, practice, exams and recurring checks to ensure they keep their jobs in the sky.
So what exactly does it take to become part of the Emirates family?
The National spent the day at Emirates Cabin Crew Training College to find out.
Safety and emergency procedures
The first port of call for new recruits is a hands-on exercise where they learn how to operate the emergency doors on the aircraft and safely hurl themselves down the inflatable slide.
It is important to make sure everyone on the course can handle these aspects of the job as without them, they cannot secure their licence.
The ab initios, which is Latin for 'from the beginning' and which Emirates calls its new cohort of trainees, are taught on the only Airbus A380 built specifically for training purposes in the world. The trainees practise evacuating from both the lower and upper deck, just as they would have to do in real life. The distance to the ground is exactly as it would be on a real aircraft, too.
"This is the first stop for Ab Initios when they start their training with Emirates," said Flavia Nicolae, Safety Emergency Procedures Training Specialist.
"If they can get through the physical requirements of evacuating an aeroplane and putting out a fire in the galley as well as the formal learning session of Safety and Emergency, then they are good to go on and complete the rest of their learning journey."
Trained in groups of 15-20, the trainees form a tight bond with each other as they navigate the path to their first flight. Many remain close friends throughout their Emirates career and it is a friendship that flourishes under pressure, prompting the term 'batchmate'.
Jumping in
Dressed head to toe in black, the ab initios practise procedures for landing on water. The slides that propelled them to safety in the last section now disconnect to form life rafts. Together, life jackets inflated, the trainees learn how to survive the icy ocean waters.
Things are kept realistic and the water they must dive in to is kept at a chilly 17°C. After undergoing the process to keep themselves and their fellow batchmates warm, they are allowed to swim to dry land and exit the pool.
"This is my favourite part," said one shivering recruit having just emerged from the pool.
"After the classroom sessions, it’s nice to get out and be a bit more hands on."
Other training sessions include putting out fires on board, helping to find passengers when the cabin is filled with smoke, and dealing with medical emergencies from heart attacks to child birth.
The trainees must get to grips with the safety and emergency procedures to continue on the course, but they are given every opportunity to pass this section.
Exams have an 80 per cent pass mark and each person is given four chances to pass the practical side. If that is not possible, they can return to training and prepare again for the assessment. After this, they will have four more chances. However, if by this point they still cannot make the grade, then their training is over.
Fortunately for ab initios, this rarely happens.
Sparkling service
Once the rough and tumble of evacuation procedures are over, it is time to move on to the more refined part of the job.
Emirates prides itself on providing a level of service found only among the top airlines in the world and its training reflects this.
Retail services on board generate serious revenue for the company, so each member of the cabin crew is told about the qualities of everything for sale on board. This means they smell the fragrances and handle the jewellery so that should a passenger want to know more about a product, they are well equipped to help.
"We like to cater for the tastes and desires of our guests," said Kim Ho Shong, a Hospitality Learning Partner.
"That's why we now offer a healthier range of snacks, as opposed to something like a chocolate bar."
In a replica of the inside of an Airbus A380, we meet already qualified crew training to upgrade to a different cabin.
Practising on each other, they plate up food for first-class passengers and offer a selection of drinks and snacks. They also taste the food themselves so they know exactly what experience the passengers will have.
"It's very important that our crew know what it is they're serving and what kind of experience they're providing the guest with," Mr Ho said. "So, while half are having a go at serving, the other half are getting the customer experience."
The famous red lipstick
Around week five, the ab initios will arrive at the Image Station. This is a room with mirrored walls, impeccable lighting and an array of skincare and beauty products on show.
The women are shown a selection of six approved hairstyles, devised to suit all cultures and hair types, and the men are taught the importance of a good manicure.
A 60-page manual entitled 'Taking Centre Stage' is filled with rules and guidance on appearance, etiquette and deportment.
Emphasis is also placed on keeping the body fit and healthy — and the skin protected from the sun.
“Ab Initios are given the tools to ensure they are representing the brand to the best of their ability,” said Sally Cayzer, Hospitality Learning Partner-Image & Uniform.
“During their training we include topics such as nutrition, the importance of maintaining a good skin care routine while travelling the world and make-up application techniques.”
To finalise the look, Ms Cayzer demonstrates on her colleague exactly how to wear the internationally recognised Emirates red hat with white veil.
"The seven pleats represent the seven emirates of the UAE," she says, expertly folding it in half twice and draping the veil in line with the V of the jacket. After tucking the tail of the material around the back of the neck and out of sight, the look is complete.
After all, when representing a multi-billion-dollar brand, it is important to look the part.
RESULT
Brazil 2 Croatia 0
Brazil: Neymar (69'), Firmino (90' 3)
PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
MATCH INFO
West Ham United 2 (Antonio 73', Ogbonna 90 5')
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 36', Moura 42', Kane 49')
The%20specs
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
ON%20TRACK
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The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
Engine: 6.4-litre V8
Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Afro%20salons
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
SHAITTAN
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The Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize
This year’s winners of the US$4 million Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize will be recognised and rewarded in Abu Dhabi on January 15 as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, which runs in the capital from January 13 to 20.
From solutions to life-changing technologies, the aim is to discover innovative breakthroughs to create a new and sustainable energy future.
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
